Gators' Houston Turns Heat Up On Spartans

THE SPORTS COLUMN

September 8, 1991|By Larry Guest of The Sentinel Staff

GAINESVILLE — The Florida Gators dedicated their new North End Zone stands and this 1991 season sans probation with a 59-21 tuneup romp over San Jose State that UF coach Steve Spurrier ''didn't think would be that easy.''

The newly enclosed end zone section, which turned Florida Field into - at least this time of the season - the world's largest pizza oven, enabled the Gators to play Saturday before the largest gathering (83,067) in state football history.

The Gators put it away with four unanswered touchdowns in the second period when San Jose State tongues began resembling surf boards. One day removed from the temperate climes of California, the Spartans kept it interesting for a quarter, but were prepared for neither all those Gator rockets nor one of our balmy Florida days when camels and scorpions call in sick.

When Southern Cal came to Florida Field on another sultry September afternoon, the Trojans employed a pair of air conditioner blowers rented in Los Angeles and flown all the way across country.

San Jose State attempted to combat the 90-degree heat and 90-percent humidity with two electric fans. It was a little like trying to paddle across the Atlantic with a popsicle stick. ''When you're blowing hot air from hot air,'' said Spartan quarterback Matt Veatch, ''it doesn't help much. We had to fight through the climate. I did all the things you're supposed to do - eat bananas, drink a lot of fluids - but I still cramped up in the heat.''

The Gators, though more accustomed to the bakery conditions, had the use of a fan and four air conditioners on their sideline - which was in the shade of the press box. Nevertheless, the two fans for San Jose State are believed to be a school record.

Spartan publicist Lawrence Fan said in his 12-year association with the school he has been the only fan on the San Jose State sidelines. The electric variety was appreciated by Spartans, who collected in increasing numbers in front of the devices until there was hardly anyone for Spartan coach Terry Shea to talk to.

A blessed rain shower walked across the campus just before halftime, averting the danger of having several Spartans melt and discolor Florida's year-old grass turf. But by then, the Gators were up by 31 and about the only mystery left was whether UF soph wideout Harrison Houston and nifty QB Shane Matthews would post a new UF standard for touchdown receptions and passes in a single game.

They hooked up for two in the game's first four minutes, threatening to become the most famous battery since Larsen and Berra. But Spurrier mercifully benched his first team after the first possession of the third period, saving them for next Saturday's SEC opener vs. Alabama. Matthews exited with five TD passes to tie John Reaves, now a Gators assistant. Houston caught three of those, tying him with noted grads Ricky Nattiel, Cris Collinsworth, Carlos Alvarez and Tommy Durrance. Houston's distinction will be that he is the only one in the group who turned the trick while listed on the depth chart as part of the scrubs. The diminutive sophomore was elevated to the starting unit only moments before kickoff when top receiver Tre Everett determined in warmups he was not fully recovered from a hamstring pull.

One play into the season, the sub had a 22-yard touchdown grab. ''It was exciting,'' he later said through a toothy grin said to be permanently affixed.

The newest Gators hero is a quiet, deeply religious little guy with a happy demeanor and two last names. Maybe now Spurrier can remember whether it's Houston Harrison or Harrison Houston. The coach at Pensacola Pine Forest had the same problem, so he took to calling him ''Duke,'' a nickname now used by Houston's UF playmates.

He took an unusual path to this date with the spotlight. As a Pine Forest senior, Houston declined a recruiting visit to Florida, where controversy and confusion were the staples in 1989. He orally committed to LSU, but reversed field after Air Spurrier was hired that winter. After sparse playing time as a freshman, he missed the first few days of preseason practice last month due to the death of the grandfather who had raised him and inspired him to focus on athletics.

Emotionally wounded, he needed several days to return full focus on football. But only a few minutes to makes things entirely too hot for San Jose State.